>> this evening, the staggering toll and the race to help the critically injured. drastic drop. the weather system on the move tonight. temperatures mrementing plummeting. meteorologist ginger zee standing by with all we'll all face tomorrow. crowd control. who is watching you like never before. tomorrow, the new eyes hovering over the crush of customers. plus, sharyn alfonsi tonight with the one simple step to make sure you're getting the cheapest tune. and, name that tune. you knew this sound was coming. ♪ but have you ever heard it like this? [ basketballs dribbling ] so many asking, how did they pull this off? and tonight, right here, the answer. good evening on this thanksgiving night. we thank you for being here. diane has the holiday off.

we do begin this evening with a thanksgiving journey that ended in horror today along a major stretch of highway in texas. thick fog triggering a deadly pileup. look at this video, taken by a couple that came upon the massive accident just moments earlier. you can see some of the fog there. as it cleared late today, you could see the extent of the damage. cars smashed into one another and families who were on their way to thanksgiving dinner. a mother holding her child close, children in tears. we lead off tonight with the rising toll. abc's ryan owens is in texas for us. >> reporter: from the air, the crush of cars and trucks almost look like toys. from the ground, the reality is devastating. as many as 150 vehicles piled together. two died in this mangled metal. up to 100 others spent this holiday in the hospital. >> i literally was able to stop without hitting anyone but sat there with that panic of who might hit me. >> oh, my god. >> reporter: fog blinded drivers

on this stretch of texas highway. investigators say most couldn't see a foot in front of them at 8:00 this morning. it happened on interstate 10, about 80 miles east of houston. i-10 runs from florida to california. both sides were shut down for hours. tens of thousands hoping to get to their thanksgiving meal were stranded. >> the cause of the accident was a heavy fog bank rolled into this area which caused no one being able to see and one accident triggered another, triggered another in a chain reaction. >> reporter: fog-related collisions are among the deadliest. earlier this year, 20 died on a florida highway, enveloped in a choking mix of fog and smoke from a brush fire. today in texas, this 5-year-old boy suffered minor injuries when a semi slammed into his mother's suv. its other precious cargo, the thanksgiving turkey. little damian ortiz used it to make sandwiches for the other injured. a roadside meal for those truly thankful, just to be alive.

ryan owens, abc news, dallas. >> just incredible pictures tonight. ryan owens, thank you. and that dense fog causing such terror in texas has been a problem in other parts of the country. in the midwest, a similar challenge and this really struck us. in chicago, the fog so thick, only the tips of the skyscrapers could be seen piercing through it. so, tonight here, abc meteorologist ginger zee on that system still causing problems tonight. >> reporter: blinding fog from farms in duluth, minnesota, to backyards in st. louis. it's made for a hazardous start to holiday travel from minnesota to ohio to texas. all this fog, because of unseasonably warm temperatures passing over cold land. and there isn't a whole lot of wind to mix it together. that warm air means some of chicago's skating rinks won't open as planned, even though the cold settles in tomorrow for them. but in much of the east, it was parade perfection. >> buzz lightyear from "toy story." >> reporter: from the blue skies at macy's annual in new york

city to families fun in the sun in philadelphia, to detroit, once that fog burned off. and for the storm weary in the northwest, a little thanksgiving gratitude for some snowy leftovers. >> so excited. my kids and i are having so much fun. >> a sign of the season. ginger zee with us on the streets of new york city. and ginger, that system carrying all that dangerous fog on the move tonight? >> reporter: that's right. it will redevelop. we were out here yesterday, warned you about it for that texas area and there it came. so, for tomorrow, please listen. if you are planning on traveling in that area, in the gray, from toledo all the way to almost d.c., south to atlanta and birmingham, parts of louisiana and mississippi, all included in what could be a dangerous morning. >> and you were telling me for the millions heading out tomorrow, probably going shopping, there's something else they'll notice. a dramatic change in temperatures? >> reporter: yes. just to the west of that. chicago today made it into the low 60s. by tomorrow, 30s and they'll feel like the 20s. so, a big slap in the face from this cold front. look at the temps ahead of it. atlanta, 70 tomorrow.

back in kansas city, only in the low 40s. so, big changes to come. david? >> all right, forewarned. ginger zee, thank you. we're going to turn to that other holiday tradition now, the shopping. for millions, it began before the bird today, long before the thanksgiving dinner, in fact. this chicago kmart opened before dawn this morning and look at the lines right there, before the doors were even unlocked. inside stores across america today, this is what it looked like already. lines of customers, those carts right there full of presents. tonight, we have two teams on this. first, the unprecedented effort to keep customers safe this year from those scenes that have become all too familiar. abc's john schriffen is live in macy's at midtown manhattan tonight. john, good evening. >> reporter: david, good evening. security is a major concern and police say they are doing all they can to make sure everything goes smoothly once these doors behind me swing open. it's the annual running of the holiday shoppers. and already, things are getting out of hand. mayhem at a california kmart this morning when doors opened

at 6:00 a.m. >> push one of my kids, i will stab one of you! >> reporter: exactly the kind of scene stores want to avoid. last year, connecticut police tased this walmart shopper who resisted arrest after cutting ahead of 20 people in line. this fistfight broke out at an h & m in culver city, california. the national retail federation expects up to 147 million people to be shopping this entire holiday weekend. so, with the extra crowds out there, retailers all around the country are hoping for this. nice, calm, orderly lines, like the one here at the apple store on the icon iic 5th avenue in n york city. but police are leaving nothing to chance. knowing the lure of a holiday deal. >> they just forget about regular every day courtesy and sometimes go nuts. >> reporter: the los angeles police department is putting hundreds of extra officers on foot, on horseback and in the air to monitor shopping crowds. big stores like best buy have been preparing for days now, creating color coded maps, moving merchandise around to

ease congestion and holding dry runs. so employees can practice. >> get people in, safely and out safely, through the lanes quick, fast, in a hurry so they can get what they need. >> reporter: and the mall of america has taken the additional step of banning teenagers from shopping alone on black friday. in fact, police say if you are shopping on black friday, leave the kids at home. they can easily get injured should something go wrong. david? >> but the kids aren't going to like hearing that. john schriffen tonight, thank you so much. now, to the deals to be had and there are some big ones already. retailers looking to please their customers, but also tonight, their workers. walmart this evening dealing with demands from some employees threatening to strike at the worst possible time. abc's sharyn alfonsi with that part of the story tonight. >> reporter: on the eve of black friday, one of the biggest shopping days of the year, thousands of walmart employees are poised to strike. but workers say they were pushed to the picket line after they learned they had to report to work today.

>> we just demanding respect. >> reporter: other retailers are opening stores this thanksgiving, too. hoping to get an edge on the $52 billion up for grabs this year. target opened at 9:00 this morning. sears, at 8:00. and kmart is open for most of the day. best buy doesn't open until midnight but workers there were preparing for the crush. >> let's go! >> reporter: early birds pounced on door-busting deals. $78 for a flat screen tv from walmart. $100 digital cameras at target. this laptop, $349. >> i do it every year. and every year i regret it but when the day comes, i enjoy it. >> reporter: but if you can't quite stomach the scene after a big thanksgiving meal, don't worry. you can shop online and many of those black friday deals are available online right now before the stores even open their doors. >> but if you are in the stores tomorrow, standing in that aisle, we've all done this, wondering, is a better deal down the street, you say there's a great app that helps you with that. >> reporter: one of the best

apps we've seen is called red laser. it scans the bar code and tells you if you can get that item cheaper somewhere else. it's great. because so many of these stores are now matching prices. you can say, look, down the street, a few dollars cheaper. >> good to know. sharyn alfonsi with us tonight. shaifr sharyn, thanks to you. the holiday comes, then the shopping, but we cannot forget it was just two weeks ago that hurricane sandy hit. and with so many americans planning to visit new york during the holidays, we've learned that the statue of liberty will be closed for the rest of the year because of damage from the storm. and there are the families that live here, still putting their lives back together after the hurricane. and so, tonight, abc's ron claiborne along for the ride with volunteers determined to let those families know they haven't been forgotten. >> reporter: on a street corner on staten island, volunteers put out a thanksgiving day spread. nothing elaborate. turkey burgers, pumpkin pie, some cookies. for the people of slater boulevard, it was a feast. >> you want to eat some burgers? >> reporter: most people on this storm-battered street still have no power in their homes. no heat, no gas.

so, a group of volunteers from a church in new jersey brought the holiday to them. >> this is a privilege. it's like putting the giving back in thanksgiving. >> reporter: slater boulevard was slammed by what people here describe as a tsunami. >> house is gone. >> reporter: a 15-foot high wall of water that left the first floors of every home uninhabitable. this family lived in this house for the past 32 years. they spent today combing through debris, looking for the cherished artifacts of their lives. this was your wedding china? >> used to be. >> reporter: you used to have these on the table for thanksgiving? >> every thanksgiving. >> i'm thankful that we're still here. i'm thankful for so many people that came here to show us love and support. >> reporter: for the many people still reeling from sandy's assault, like this family, there were gestures of support today, often from complete strangers. like courtney wood of new jersey, who opened her home to a family with nowhere else to go. she found them through a special facebook page called "a place at the table."

>> i would love to be able to offer a hot meal, a house filled with love and i can't imagine not doing this. >> reporter: you know, talking to people here on slater boulevard, even among the awfulness and the haunting memories of what happened here, on this day, they said they were grateful for the food, which was welcome, but more than that, that people who they had never met in their entire lives cared enough to come. david? >> so great to see that. ron, thank you. and for the american troops serving in harm's way overseas, a little bit of home today. in afghanistan, there was turkey and gravy on the menu. the troops getting a little bit of a break there. and in kuwait tonight, a little more festive, we found. an oversized turkey to take pictures alongside. that dining hall decorated in traditional colors. all of our troops, of course, in our thoughts on this thanksgiving night. and to the middle east this evening, where that truce between israel and hamas is holding. and this evening, a closer look at israel's iron dome. that some now believe saved

lives on both sides of this conflict. abc's matt gutman is in the region again tonight. >> reporter: in gaza, they began scraping away the damage. a massive cleanup, coupled with jubilation. in israel, reservists began packing up and heading home. and streets deserted, all week long, are coming back to life. the rockets and the sirens that sent 3-year-old karin scampering to safety here now quiet. for eight days, three generations of this family huddled in their bomb shelter. afraid to step outside. tonight, karin smiling again. and her grandmother, jillian, able to take a walk. what is it like to be able to walk out on the street again for the first time in more than a week? >> it's wonderful. but we're not terribly hopeful. >> reporter: they still expect the days ahead to bring more rockets, but they say they feel more protected than before. >> now with the iron dome, really, you know, probably the chances of getting hit are smaller than the chance of us winning the lottery.

>> reporter: the iron dome, a missile defense system developed jointly with the u.s., which intercepts incoming rockets, with a mind-boggling 85% kill rate. this major says hundreds of lives were saved. >> this system basically understands in the very first second where the rocket is going to land. and i'm not talking about the whole city, but the neighborhood, a few blocks. >> reporter: the system's radar detects a rocket launch and calculates its trajectory within a single second. >> this is a wholly defensive weapons system that has presented a conflict from continuing and prevented a larger outbreak. this is really unprecedented in modern history. >> reporter: it's been 24 hours since that battery we visited has fired a missile and folks are trying to take advantage of their first opportunity in a week to get outside. but many of them tell me they don't dare hope for peace, only a sense of quiet. >> matt gutman tonight, thank you. and there is still much more ahead here on "world news" this thanksgiving night. the "price is right" case.

the model who said she wasn't allowed back after her baby. tonight, from the show case showdown to the one in the courtroom. and we'll tell you who won. and later here tonight, a holiday puzzle for you. can you name this tune? [ basketballs dribbling ] we will reveal the song and reveal the secrets behind how they pulled this off. two years ago, the people of bp made a commitment to the gulf. bp has paid over twenty-three billion dollars to help those affected and to cover cleanup costs. today, the beaches and gulf are open, and many areas are reporting their best tourism seasons in years. and bp's also committed to america. we support nearly 250,000 jobs and invest more here than anywhere else. we're working to fuel america for generations to come. our commitment has never been stronger.

is the same frequent heartburn treatment as prilosec otc. now with a fancy coating that gives you a burst of wildberry flavor. now why make a flavored heartburn pill? because this is america. and we don't just make things you want, we make things you didn't even know you wanted. like a spoon fork. spray cheese. and jeans made out of sweatpants. so grab yourself some new prilosec otc wildberry. [ male announcer ] one pill each morning. 24 hours. zero heartburn. satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. who have used androgel 1%, there's big news. presenting androgel 1.62%. both are used to treat men with low testosterone. androgel 1.62% is from the makers of the number one prescribed testosterone replacement therapy. it raises your testosterone levels, and... is concentrated, so you could use less gel. and with androgel 1.62%, you can save on your monthly prescription. [ male announcer ] dosing and application sites between these products differ.

women and children should avoid contact with application sites. discontinue androgel and call your doctor if you see unexpected signs of early puberty in a child, or, signs in a woman which may include changes in body hair or a large increase in acne, possibly due to accidental exposure. men with breast cancer or who have or might have prostate cancer, and women who are, or may become pregnant or are breast feeding should not use androgel. serious side effects include worsening of an enlarged prostate, possible increased risk of prostate cancer, lower sperm count, swelling of ankles, feet, or body, enlarged or painful breasts, problems breathing during sleep, and blood clots in the legs. tell your doctor about your medical conditions and medications, especially insulin, corticosteroids, or medicines to decrease blood clotting. talk to your doctor today about androgel 1.62% so you can use less gel. log on now to androgeloffer.com and you could pay as little as ten dollars a month for androgel 1.62%. what are you waiting for? this is big news.

it is hard to believe, but for many women, it is still a fear. losing your job after leaving to have a baby. and tonight here, "the price is right" model who fought back. here's abc's nick watt. >> thanks, brandi. >> reporter: brandi cochran was a regular much-loved model on "the price is right" for nearly seven years. >> i know the problem started when i got pregnant. backstage, not feeling welcome, having my schedule cut. >> reporter: and after her daughter katie was born, cochran was not invited back on the show. >> they tried to say this was a creative decision. >> reporter: the jury did not agree. awarding cochran over $8.5 million in compensation and punitive damages. she is the latest in a line of models to sue the show, which has been on the air for 41 years. in '94, diane parkinson famously accused bob barker of sexual harassment before dropping the charges. in '95, holly halstrom won a settlement claiming she was fired for gaining weight.

shane sterling recently lost her case alleging she was fired because she was pregnant. why did you decide it was so important to do this? >> because if i hadn't gotten pregnant, i wouldn't have lost my job. that's what this boils down to. and that's not right. >> reporter: the producers will appeal this latest decision in favor of ms. cochran. "the court, among other things, refused to allow the jury to hear and consider that 40% of our models have been pregnant," reads a statement. "we expect to be fully vindicated after the matter has been reviewed." the very day of the damning verdict, drew carey made a very public show of support for another model mom to be. >> she's pregnant. tell the world! >> reporter: nick watt, abc news, los angeles. >> to be continued. when we come back on the broadcast tonight, the famous actress called before the queen it was her first time. and tonight, we learn what the queen had to say. but with advair, i'm breathing better.

so now i can be in the scene. advair is clinically proven to help significantly improve lung function. unlike most copd medications, advair contains both an anti-inflammatory and a long-acting bronchodilator working together to help improve your lung function all day. advair won't replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms and should not be used more than twice a day. people with copd taking advair may have a higher chance of pneumonia. advair may increase your risk of osteoporosis and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking advair. if you're still having difficulty breathing, ask your doctor if including advair could help improve your lung function. get your first full prescription free and save on refills at advaircopd.com. [ male announcer ] jill and her mouth have lived

a great life. but she has some dental issues she's not happy about. so jill's dentist introduced her to crest pro-health for life. selected for people over 50. pro-health for life is a toothpaste that defends against tender, inflamed gums, sensitivity and weak enamel. conditions people over 50 experience. crest pro-health for life. so jill can keep living the good life. crest. life opens up when you do. both of us actually. our pharmacist recommended it. and that makes me feel pretty good about it. and then i heard about a study looking at multivitamins and the long term health benefits. and what do you know? they used centrum silver in the study. makes me feel even better, that's what i take. sorry, we take. [ male announcer ] centrum. the most recommended. most preferred. most studied. centrum, always your most complete.

and now to our "instant index" this thanksgiving night. a look at what's trending out there. and a quote this evening from actress kate winslet. meeting the queen for the first time. the oscar-winning actress was honored by queen elizabeth with the prestigious commander of the british empire award for her contributions to acting. she said the queen asked her if she liked her job and winslet's response? quote, not as much as i love being a mother. and the queen's response to that was, yes, well, that is the only job. here at home, a picture tonight and this one is a vintage family photo from the

president on this thanksgiving. photo tweeted today of the first family with this message, from this family to yours, happy thanksgiving. look closely, you see it's a dated one. the girls much younger right there. the white house says the president started his thanksgiving day personally calling ten u.s. service members in afghanistan. today's feast at the white house, by the way, traditional, turkey with all the trimmings and six different pies, there at the bottom. apple, cherry, sweet potato, banana cream and somewhere in there, pumpkin. to tonight's number, three. so many of you sending your three words, what are you most thankful for this thanksgiving. our cameras were out along the macy's thanksgiving day parade, and we loved what came back to us. >> frantic family memories. >> mom tries cooking. >> eat good food. >> family spending time. >> it was awesome! >> love the shy one there. viewers tweeting us tonight, so many to choose from, this couple, soldier husband home.

a dog lover sending us this. most thankful for my four pomeranians. a survivor of sandy saying, home, heat, electricity. this little guy, grateful for my dog zoe. and some proud parents, fabian's first thanksgiving, standing with a little help from dad there. you can tweet us any time. @davidmuir, @dianesawyer. we would love to know your three words. when we come back on the broadcast tonight, listen closely to this. [ basketballing dribbling ] there is a holiday classic in there, like you've never heard before. and after the break here, we reveal how they pulled this off. since amerinancial was founded back in 1894, they've been committed to putting clients first. helping generations through tough times. good times. never taking a bailout. there when you need them. helping millions of americans over the centuries. the strength of a global financial leader. the heart of a one-to-one relationship.

together for your future. ♪ try this... bayer? this isn't just a headache. trust me, this is new bayer migraine. [ male announcer ] it's the power of aspirin plus more in a triple action formula to relieve your tough migraines. new bayer migraine formula.

[ male announcer ] it's that time of year again. medicare open enrollment. time to compare plans and costs. you don't have to make changes. but it never hurts to see if you can find better coverage, save money, or both. and check out the preventive benefits you get after the health care law. ♪ open enrollment ends december 7th. so now's the time. visit medicare.gov or call 1-800-medicare. anyone have occasional constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating? yeah. one phillips' colon health probiotic cap each day

helps defend against these digestive issues with three strains of good bacteria. approved! [ female announcer ] live the regular life. phillips'. and finally here on this thanksgiving night, that holiday puzzle of sorts. the song performed by some famous nba faces. but they weren't using their voices. in fact, they weren't even standing in the same room. so, how did they do it? we all know this version of "the carol of the bells." famously soung by the mormon tabernacle choir. a holiday staple this time of year. ♪ one seems to hear ♪ worths of good cheer

♪ from everywhere >> but we've never quite heard it this way. [ basketballs dribbling ] five of the nba's biggest superstars dribbling the song. and now a drum beat of a different sort. so many asking, how did that do it? well, it turns out, digital magic. players in five different locations when they shot their part, from miami to los angeles to new york. five different shoots in front of a high tech screen, shot in just the last month. the nba giving "world news" this behind the scenes footage of dwight howard playing around right there, getting ready to perform his part that would be inserted later. we're told the producers had about a half an hour with each player, actually putting someone beside them to give them a chance what they had to am coy accomplish on the court. how did they do it to time, perfectly dribbling? they followed a color-coded monitor, much like the video game, guitar hero, that lights up on the right or left when they know when to dribble. howard and the four others digitally laid in right next to each other and this was the result. [ basketballs dribbling ]

>> trying to put a smile on your face this thanksgiving night. "nightline" comes your way later. and for diane, who is with her family right here in the city new tonight on abc 7 news, tolls on the golden gate bridge could be a nightmare for commuters andk[gç tourists.. >> and a lock out over walmart. we'll hear from people happy just to have jobs.. >> niner fans sounding off on what some are calling a thanksgiving quarterback controversy. >> a bay area community where people would prefer turkeys in the oven instead of rolling around their neighborhoods. >> we begin with a live picture from the golden gate bridge where a toll system will go into affect next year when unmanned toll booths are

sure to cause confusion behind the wheel. >> good evening. a first trial of the toll system has been pushed back a month. when it starts, crossing the bridge will be easy, what is going to happen when nonfast track users and out of state drivers want to come into the city? heather? >> starting in january, until march, you will be able to pay tolls here at the golden gate bridge by cash, fast track and a new system associated with your license plate. come march, it's a new world. by bridge, toll takers will be gone. >> no cash will be accepted in the toll lanes. >> no cash, no stopping. the bridge district says it will save millions of dollars and traffic should move better than ever. those transactions can take a while.